In 2020-2021, India was home to more than 1,000 universities, 43,796 colleges, and 11,296 standalone institutions. These institutions collectively nurtured a massive 43.3 million students, each harbouring dreams of a bright future.
But as graduation seasons rolled around, a different picture began to emerge.
According to the Unstop Talent report 2024, half of the students surveyed admitted they weren’t confident about securing jobs in their preferred fields. For many, dreams of passion took a backseat to make way for practicality, with three out of six students placing job security over higher pay in their career preferences.
As colleges lock and load for their placement efforts this year, the challenges are clear as the report by Unstop Talent states that — only 7% of campuses surveyed managed to achieve 100% placement success.
As the recruitment season kicks off, EdexLive turns its focus toward the graduating batch of 2025. What do they make of the hustle and uncertainty that awaits them? And how are they planning to navigate a job market that seems as challenging as it is unpredictable? EdexLive inquires.
How are students approaching the placement season?
As the placement season approaches, students across India are gearing up for the challenging task of securing their careers. From Tier 1 colleges to recently established institutions, their preparation and outlook vary, as they share a common zeal to succeed.
Pritish Panda, a student at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, reflects on the placement atmosphere at his college. “Being at a premier institute like the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela gave me access to many opportunities. The college placement process involves students acquiring industry-specific skills like core, software, and analytics and knowledge to pursue career opportunities in their preferred fields,” he said.
A Tier I college student from Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Sai Pavan, shared a similar view as he said: “Placements are about hard work and luck, I believe. Placement = hard work × luck,” he amusingly said.
Further, he added, “Being in a Tier I college, most students, including myself, rely on the college's reputation and legacy to secure jobs. I would only consider looking for off-campus jobs in an unexpected situation.”
A student from Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore, Aditya Prakash Dash explains his college's contribution but also emphasises the need for self-preparation and says “Our college is providing us very good resources as much as they can, but at the same time, we cannot sit ideal. We have to try on our own as well though our sources, and then choose an option that suits our interests, talents and skillsets the best.”
Entrepreneurship: A rising option?
While most students focus on placements, the idea of entrepreneurship is not entirely off the table. Aditya remains open to it in the far future but acknowledges the complexities. “Starting a business is more than just having a good idea. There are many factors to consider, and I’m not ready to take that step yet.”
On the other hand, both Sai and Pritish are not considering entrepreneurship yet. As Sai puts it, “While my current focus is on gaining professional experience, building skills, and understanding industry dynamics, I believe these will be valuable if I decide to pursue entrepreneurship later. I’m open to exploring opportunities where I can combine my expertise and creativity to create a successful venture,” he explained.
Careers or crisis?
During the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board meeting in 2019, Apple's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook said there's a "mismatch" between the skills learned in college and the skills that businesses think they need in the future, also stating that half of Apple's US employment last year was made up of people who did not have four-year degrees.
Resonating with the sentiment Sai pointed out, “The current job market is facing challenges. Inflation impacting purchasing power and the student's skillset not matching with the recruiter's requirement, these factors are leading to employability issues.”
Pritish further explains the problem clearly, “We get to see thousands of people applying for a single position in a particular company. The top 1% talent pool who are primarily studying at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), NITs, and the International Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) are also struggling to get through at times. My point of view here is people in India lack the adaptability to newer technologies which is a very big problem when one looks for employability. Because the job market demands the flexibility and the ability to learn new skills while the market moves forward at a very fast pace.”
Aditya further explained what he learned from his predecessors who had already entered the market, “The job market is not great right now. I’ve heard from my seniors that there’s a decline in job opportunities, and there’s a lot of favouritism in certain companies. But if you have strong skills, you will grow.” He emphasised
Working in India vs abroad
As the placement season intensifies, the question arises whether students are considering opportunities abroad or not?
Aditya explains that he is not interested in working overseas for now. “The lifestyle change is drastic, and I’m accustomed to life in India. But abroad, there are better facilities and research opportunities that can’t be ignored," he explained.
Sai shared a similar perspective as he said, “I appreciate the proximity to my family and the cost of living in India. However, I do recognise the advantages of working abroad, like higher salaries and international exposure.”
For Pritish, countries like Taiwan and the United States (US), with their focus on semiconductor industries, were appealing. He emphasised the dominance of Taiwan, which produces around 63.8 per cent of the world's semiconductors with the US being one of its major partners. Yet, he acknowledged potential challenges. “The language barrier and differences in work culture might be obstacles, but the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology is exciting.”, he further added.
As students, who are after all future taxpayers, gear up to enter the professional world, they're not only making the most of their college experience but also keeping a check on the market's uncertainties and India's shifting work culture.
With most companies interested in higher degrees with good grades and pre-set skill sets as their criteria for recruitment, will these placements lead to students finding careers in companies or positions matching their talents and interests? What do you think?
